bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Mutation-Driven Signals of ARID1A and PI3K Pathways in Ovarian Carcinomas: Alteration Is An Opportunity
Authors: De Pradip , Dey Nandini
Published: November 2019

The chromosome is a functionally dynamic structure. The dynamic nature of chromosome functionally connects it to almost every event within a cell, in health and sickness. Chromatin remodeling system acts in unison with the cell survival pathway in mediating a variety of cellular functions, including mitosis, differentiation, DNA damage repair, and apoptosis. In humans, the 16 SWI/SNF complexes are a class of nucleosome remodelers, and ARID1A, an epigenetic tumor suppressor, is a member of mammalian 17 chromatin remodeling complex, SWI/SNF. Alterations of chromatin remodeling system contribute to tumorigenic events in various cancers, including ovarian cancers. Oncogenic changes of genes of the PI3K pathway are one of the potential genetic determinants of ovarian carcinomas. In this review, we present the data demonstrating the co-occurrence of mutations of ARID1A and the PI3K pathway in our cohort of ovarian cancers from the Avera Cancer Institute (SD, USA). Taking into account data from our cohort and the cBioPortal, we interrogate the opportunity provided by this co-occurrence in the context of mutation-driven signals in the life cycle of a tumor cell and its response to the targeted anti-tumor drugs.
Design and Synthesis of 4-(Heterocyclic Substituted Amino)-1H-Pyrazole-3-Carboxamide Derivatives and Their Potent Activity against Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML)
Authors: Zhi Yanle , Wang Zhijie , Yao Chao , Li Baoquan , Heng Hao , Cai Jiongheng , Xiang Li , Wang Yue , Lu Tao , Lu Shuai
Published: November 2019

Fms-like receptor tyrosine kinase 3 (FLT3) has been emerging as an attractive target for the treatment of acute myeloid leukemia (AML). By modifying the structure of FN-1501, a potent FLT3 inhibitor, 24 novel 1H-pyrazole-3-carboxamide derivatives were designed and synthesized. Compound 8t showed strong activity against FLT3 (IC50: 0.089 nM) and CDK2/4 (IC50: 0.719/0.770 nM), which is more efficient than FN-1501(FLT3, IC50: 2.33 nM; CDK2/4, IC50: 1.02/0.39 nM). Compound 8t also showed excellent inhibitory activity against a variety of FLT3 mutants (IC50 < 5 nM), and potent anti-proliferative effect within the nanomolar range on acute myeloid leukemia (MV4-11, IC50: 1.22 nM). In addition, compound 8t significantly inhibited the proliferation of most human cell lines of NCI60 (GI50 < 1 μM for most cell lines). Taken together, these results demonstrated the potential of 8t as a novel compound for further development into a kinase inhibitor applied in cancer therapeutics.
Four Cysteine Residues Contribute to Homodimerization of Chicken Interleukin-2
Authors: Deng Chen , Tan Hailiang , Zhou Hongda , Wang Mengyun , Lü Yan , Xu Jiacui , Zhang Huanmin , Han Limei , Ai Yongxing
Published: November 2019

Interleukin-2 (IL-2) is a pleiotropic cytokine regulating the immune and nervous systems. Mammalian and bird IL-2s have different protein sequences, but perform similar functions. In the current study, two bands were detected by immunoblotting using an antibody against freshly purified chicken IL-2 (chIL-2). The molecular weight of the larger band was approximately twice as much of the chIL-2 monomer, although a chIL-2 complex or homodimer has never been reported. To explain this intriguing result, several dissociation reagents were used to examine the intermolecular forces between components of the proposed chIL-2 complex. It was found that intermolecular disulphide bond promotes homodimerization of chIL-2. Subsequently, mutation of Cys residues of chIL-2 revealed that mutation of all four Cys residues disrupted homodimerization, but a single, dual, or triple Cys mutation failed to disrupt homodimerization, suggesting that all four Cys residues on chIL-2 contribute to this dimerization. Functional analysis showed that both monomeric and dimeric chIL-2 consisting of either wild type or mutant chIL-2 were able to stimulate the expansion of CD4+ T cell in vivo or in vitro, and effectively bind to chIL-2 receptor. Overall, this study revealed that the recombinant chIL-2 purified from either Escherichia coli (E. coli) or Spodoptera frugiperda (Sf9) cells could homodimerize in vitro, with all four Cys residues on each chIL-2 protein contributing to this homodimerization, and dimerization and Cys mutation not impacting chIL-2 induced stimulation of chicken CD4+ T cells.
An Overview of Drug Resistance in Protozoal Diseases
Authors: Capela Rita , Moreira Rui , Lopes Francisca
Published: November 2019

Protozoan diseases continue to be a worldwide social and economic health problem. Increased drug resistance, emerging cross resistance, and lack of new drugs with novel mechanisms of action significantly reduce the effectiveness of current antiprotozoal therapies. While drug resistance associated to anti-infective agents is a reality, society seems to remain unaware of its proportions and consequences. Parasites usually develops ingenious and innovative mechanisms to achieve drug resistance, which requires more research and investment to fight it. In this review, drug resistance developed by protozoan parasites Plasmodium, Leishmania, and Trypanosoma will be discussed.
Genome-Wide Identification and Characterization of FBA Gene Family in Polyploid Crop Brassica napus
Authors: Zhao Wei , Liu Hongfang , Zhang Liang , Hu Zhiyong , Liu Jun , Hua Wei , Xu Shouming , Liu Jing
Published: November 2019

Fructose-1,6-bisphosphate aldolase (FBA) is a versatile metabolic enzyme involved in multiple important processes of glycolysis, gluconeogenesis, and Calvin cycle. Despite its significance in plant biology, the identity of this gene family in oil crops is lacking. Here, we performed genome-wide identification and characterization of FBAs in an allotetraploid species, oilseed rape Brassica napus. Twenty-two BnaFBA genes were identified and divided into two groups based on integrative analyses of functional domains, phylogenetic relationships, and gene structures. Twelve and ten B. napus FBAs (BnaFBAs) were predicted to be localized in the chloroplast and cytoplasm, respectively. Notably, synteny analysis revealed that Brassica-specific triplication contributed to the expansion of the BnaFBA gene family during the evolution of B. napus. Various cis-acting regulatory elements pertinent to abiotic and biotic stresses, as well as phytohormone responses, were detected. Intriguingly, each of the BnaFBA genes exhibited distinct sequence polymorphisms. Among them, six contained signatures of selection, likely having experienced breeding selection during adaptation and domestication. Importantly, BnaFBAs showed diverse expression patterns at different developmental stages and were preferentially highly expressed in photosynthetic tissues. Our data thus provided the foundation for further elucidating the functional roles of individual BnaFBA and also potential targets for engineering to improve photosynthetic productivity in B. napus.
The Influence of Age, Gender, and Cognitive Ability on the Susceptibility to Persuasive Strategies
Authors: Abdullahi Aisha Muhammad , Oyibo Kiemute , Orji Rita , Kawu Abdullahi Abubakar
Published: November 2019

The fact that individuals may react differently toward persuasive strategies gave birth to a shift in persuasive technology (PT) design from the one-size-fits-all traditional approach to the individualized approach which conforms to individuals’ preferences. Given that learners’ gender, age, and cognitive level can affect their response to different learning instructions, it is given primacy of place in persuasive educational technology (PET) design. However, the effect of gender, age, and cognitive ability on learners’ susceptibility to persuasive strategies did not receive the right attention in the extant literature. To close this gap, we carried out an empirical study among 461 participants to investigate whether learners’ gender, age, and cognitive ability significantly affect learners’ susceptibility to three key persuasive strategies (social learning, reward, and trustworthiness) in PETs. The results of a repeated measure analysis of variance (RM-ANOVA) revealed that people with high cognitive level are more likely to be susceptible to social learning, while people with low cognitive level are more likely to be susceptible to trustworthiness. Comparatively, our results revealed that males are more likely to be susceptible to social learning, while females are more likely to be susceptible to reward and trustworthiness. Furthermore, our results revealed that younger adults are more likely to be susceptible to social learning and reward, while older adults are more likely to be susceptible to trustworthiness. Our findings reveal potential persuasive strategies which designers can employ to personalize PTs to individual users in higher learning based on their susceptibility profile determined by age, gender, and cognitive level.
Characterization of the Expression and Functions of Two Odorant-Binding Proteins of Sitophilus zeamais Motschulsky (Coleoptera: Curculionoidea)
Authors: Zhang Ying , Shen Chen , Xia Daosong , Wang Jian , Tang Qingfeng
Published: November 2019

Odorant-binding proteins (OBPs) are important in insect chemical communication. The objective of this research was to identify the functions of two OBPs in Sitophilus zeamais. qRT-PCR and western blot (WB) were performed to investigate the expression profiles at the transcript and protein levels, respectively. Fluorescence competitive binding assays were used to measure the ability of the OBPs to bind to host volatiles, and a Y-tube olfactometer was used to verify the results (attraction/no response) via behavioral experiments. The RNAi was used to verify the function by knocking down the ability of proteins to bind odorants. qRT-PCR showed the highest expression SzeaOBP1 and SzeaOBP28 at the low-instar larva (LL) and eclosion adult (EA) stages, respectively. WB showed that both SzeaOBP1 and SzeaOBP28 were highly expressed in the EA stage. Fluorescence competitive binding assays indicated that SzeaOBP1 exhibited extremely high binding affinity with cetanol. SzeaOBP28 exhibited a pronounced binding affinity for 4-hydroxy-3-methoxybenzaldehyde. The behavioral experiment showed that the adult S. zeamais responded strongly to 4-hydroxy-3-methoxybenzaldehyde and valeraldehyde from Sorghum bicolor. The RNAi knockdown individuals displayed behavioral differences between normal insects and dsRNA (SzeaOBP1)-treated insects. We infer that they both have functions in perception and recognition of host volatiles, whereas SzeaOBP28 may also have other functions.
Role of Receptor Profiling for Personalized Therapy in a Patient with a Growth Hormone-Secreting Macroadenoma Resistant to First-Generation Somatostatin Analogues
Authors: Alexandraki Krystallenia I. , Papadimitriou Eirini , Mavroeidi Vasiliki , Kyriakopoulos Georgios , Xydakis Antonios , Papaioannou Theodoros G. , Kolomodi Denise , Kaltsas Gregory A. , Grossman Ashley B.
Published: November 2019

Background: Acromegaly is almost always caused by a pituitary adenoma and is associated with high morbidity and mortality when uncontrolled. Trans-sphenoidal removal of the adenoma is the mainstay of therapy, but fails to control the disease in a significant number of patients who require further treatment. Somatostatin analogues (SSAs) as monotherapy or in combination with growth hormone (GH)-receptor antagonists and/or dopamine agonists are used either alone or in combination following surgical failure to achieve disease control. The use of specific biomarkers may help to individualize the therapeutic plan after surgical failure and direct towards a more personalized approach. Methods: We report a 41-year-old man with acromegaly and residual disease after repeated surgery that was resistant to first-generation SSAs. Results: Biochemical and tumor control were achieved following the administration of a second-generation SSA, pasireotide, combined with pegvisomant, both at maximal doses and along with cabergoline. Histology specimens showed a sparsely-granulated GH-immunostaining pituitary adenoma with intense positivity for somatostatin receptors 2 and 5 and low levels of E-cadherin. Conclusion: Personalized medical therapy guided by currently available biomarkers, such as immunohistochemically-characterized receptor profiling or adhesion molecules, resulted in controlled insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) and GH levels and symptom alleviation following the combination of three drug-classes.
Imine Reductase Based All-Enzyme Hydrogel with Intrinsic Cofactor Regeneration for Flow Biocatalysis
Authors: Bitterwolf Patrick , Ott Felix , Rabe Kersten S. , Niemeyer Christof M.
Published: November 2019

All-enzyme hydrogels are biocatalytic materials, with which various enzymes can be immobilized in microreactors in a simple, mild, and efficient manner to be used for continuous flow processes. Here we present the construction and application of a cofactor regenerating hydrogel based on the imine reductase GF3546 from Streptomyces sp. combined with the cofactor regenerating glucose-1-dehydrogenase from Bacillus subtilis. The resulting hydrogel materials were characterized in terms of binding kinetics and viscoelastic properties. The materials were formed by rapid covalent crosslinking in less than 5 min, and they showed a typical mesh size of 67 ± 2 nm. The gels were applied for continuous flow biocatalysis. In a microfluidic reactor setup, the hydrogels showed excellent conversions of imines to amines for up to 40 h in continuous flow mode. Variation of flow rates led to a process where the gels showed a maximum space-time-yield of 150 g·(L·day)−1 at 100 μL/min.
Potent Cytotoxicity of Novel L-Shaped Ortho-Quinone Analogs through Inducing Apoptosis
Authors: Li Sheng-You , Sun Ze-Kun , Zeng Xue-Yi , Zhang Yue , Wang Meng-Ling , Hu Sheng-Cao , Song Jun-Rong , Luo Jun , Chen Chao , Luo Heng , Pan Wei-Dong
Published: November 2019

Twenty-seven L-shaped ortho-quinone analogs were designed and synthesized using a one pot double-radical synthetic strategy followed by removing methyl at C-3 of the furan ring and introducing a diverse side chain at C-2 of the furan ring. The synthetic derivatives were investigated for their cytotoxicity activities against human leukemia cells K562, prostate cancer cells PC3, and melanoma cells WM9. Compounds TB1, TB3, TB4, TB6, TC1, TC3, TC5, TC9, TC11, TC12, TC14, TC15, TC16, and TC17 exhibited a better broad-spectrum cytotoxicity on three cancer cells. TB7 and TC7 selectively displayed potent inhibitory activities on leukemia cells K562 and prostate cancer cells PC3, respectively. Further studies indicated that TB3, TC1, TC3, TC7, and TC17 could significantly induce the apoptosis of PC3 cells. TC1 and TC17 significantly induced apoptosis of K562 cells. TC1, TC11, and TC14 induced significant apoptosis of WM9 cells. The structure-activity relationships evaluation showed that removing methyl at C-3 of the furan ring and introducing diverse side chains at C-2 of the furan ring is an effective strategy for improving the anticancer activity of L-shaped ortho-quinone analogs.
Inhibitory Effects of Osthole on Human Breast Cancer Cell Progression via Induction of Cell Cycle Arrest, Mitochondrial Dysfunction, and ER Stress
Authors: Park Wonhyoung , Park Sunwoo , Song Gwonhwa , Lim Whasun
Published: November 2019

Background: Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer and the second leading cause of cancer death in women. Although, recently, the number of pathological studies of breast cancer have increased, it is necessary to identify a novel compound that targets multiple signaling pathways involved in breast cancer. Methods: The effects of osthole on cell viability, apoptosis, mitochondria-mediated apoptosis, production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), and endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress proteins of BT-474 and MCF-7 breast cancer cell lines were investigated. Signal transduction pathways in both cells in response to osthole were determined by western blot analyses. Results: Here, we demonstrated that osthole inhibited cellular proliferation and induced cell cycle arrest through modulation of cell cycle regulatory genes in BT-474 and MCF-7 cells. Additionally, osthole induced loss of mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP), intracellular calcium imbalance, and ER stress. Moreover, osthole induced apoptosis by activating the pro-apoptotic protein, Bax, in both cell lines. Osthole regulated phosphorylation of signaling proteins such as Akt and ERK1/2 in human breast cancer cells. Furthermore, osthole-induced activation of JNK protein-mediated apoptosis in both cell lines. Conclusions: Collectively, the results of the present study indicated that osthole may ameliorate breast cancer and can be a promising therapeutic agent for treatment of breast cancer.
Polydatin Inhibits NLRP3 Inflammasome in Dry Eye Disease by Attenuating Oxidative Stress and Inhibiting the NF-κB Pathway
Authors: Park Bongkyun , Jo Kyuhyung , Lee Tae Gu , Hyun Soo-Wang , Kim Jin Sook , Kim Chan-Sik
Published: November 2019

Polydatin (also named pieceid, (E)-piceid, (E)-polydatin, trans-polydatin, or 3,5,4’-trihydroxystilbene-3-b-D-glucoside) is a monocrystalline compound isolated from the root and rhizome of Polygonum cuspidatum Sieb. et Zucc. (Polygonaceae). A previous study showed that polydatin has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. However, the effect of polydatin in dry eye disease (DED) has not been elucidated. DED rat models were induced by exorbital lacrimal gland-excision. In vivo, the present study showed that the excision of lacrimal glands induced changes such as reduced tear fluid, severe corneal irregularity, damage, tear film break, and goblet cell loss as well as increased inflammation cytokine and NLRP3 expression in conjunctival tissue. However, these changes were restored by polydatin eye dropping. In vitro, polydatin inhibited hyperosmolar stress-induced inflammation through attenuation of the translocation of NF-κB to the nucleus and the mRNA expression of TNF-α, IL-6, IL-1β, and MMP9. In addition, the hyperosmolar stress-induced NLRP3 inflammasome pathway and ROS production were inhibited by polydatin. Our findings provided insight into the effect of polydatin as a candidate reagent for the treatment of DED.
Macrophage Targeting pH Responsive Polymersomes for Glucocorticoid Therapy
Authors: Gouveia Virgínia M. , Rizzello Loris , Nunes Claudia , Poma Alessandro , Ruiz-Perez Lorena , Oliveira António , Reis Salette , Battaglia Giuseppe
Published: November 2019

Glucocorticoid (GC) drugs are the cornerstone therapy used in the treatment of inflammatory diseases. Here, we report pH responsive poly(2-methacryloyloxyethyl phosphorylcholine)–poly(2-(diisopropylamino)ethyl methacrylate) (PMPC–PDPA) polymersomes as a suitable nanoscopic carrier to precisely and controllably deliver GCs within inflamed target cells. The in vitro cellular studies revealed that polymersomes ensure the stability, selectivity and bioavailability of the loaded drug within macrophages. At molecular level, we tested key inflammation-related markers, such as the nuclear factor-κB, tumour necrosis factor-α, interleukin-1β, and interleukin-6. With this, we demonstrated that pH responsive polymersomes are able to enhance the anti-inflammatory effect of loaded GC drug. Overall, we prove the potential of PMPC–PDPA polymersomes to efficiently promote the inflammation shutdown, while reducing the well-known therapeutic limitations in GC-based therapy.
Mycorrhization Mitigates Disease Caused by “Candidatus Liberibacter solanacearum” in Tomato
Authors: Tiénébo Eric-Olivier , Harrison Kyle , Abo Kouabenan , Brou Yao Casimir , Pierson Leland S. , Tamborindeguy Cecilia , Pierson Elizabeth A. , Levy Julien G.
Published: November 2019

Disease caused by the bacterial pathogen “Candidatus Liberibacter solanacearum” (Lso) represents a serious threat to solanaceous crop production. Insecticide applications to control the psyllid vector, Bactericera cockerelli Šulc (Hemiptera: Triozidae) has led to the emergence of resistance in psyllids populations. Efforts to select natural resistant cultivars have been marginally successful and have been complicated by the presence of distinct Lso haplotypes (LsoA, LsoB) differing in symptoms severity on potato and tomato. A potentially promising management tool is to boost host resistance to the pathogen and/or the insect vector by promoting mycorrhization. Here we tested the hypothesis that mycorrhizal fungi can mitigate the effect of Lso infection on tomato plants. The presence of mycorrhizal fungi substantially delayed and reduced the incidence of Lso-induced symptoms on tomato as compared to non-mycorrhized plants. However, PCR with specific Lso primers revealed that mycorrhization did not prevent Lso transmission or translocation to newly formed leaves. Mycorrhization significantly reduced oviposition by psyllids harboring LsoA and survival of nymphs from these eggs. However, mycorrhization had no effect on oviposition by psyllids harboring LsoB or the survival of nymphs from parents harboring LsoB. These findings indicate the use of mycorrhizal fungi is a promising strategy for the mitigation of disease caused by both LsoA and LsoB and warrants additional field testing.
Evaluation of the Reception Capacity of a Certain Area Regarding Tourist Housing, Addressing Sustainable-Tourism Criteria
Authors: Fernández Gallardo Jose Antonio , Caridad y Ocerín Jose María , Genoveva Millán Vázquez de la Torre María
Published: November 2019

The emergence of new 2.0 net collaborative economies has brought an increase in the number of tourists, changing the paradigm of the tourist-housing sector in the main cities around the world. This has directly impacted inhabitants and land-use planning, and there is no general agreement yet between different public and private agents on how to deal with the problem. In this document, a model supported by scientific approaches is presented to assist in planning for sustainable land use through assessing its reception capacity to host tourist housing. The area of study is a medium-sized city in Spain with four UNESCO World Heritage Sites. The methodology is based on the application of the multicriteria decision paradigm in the geographical information systems’ field to deal with complex problems with several alternatives and various criteria to be evaluated. As a result, we obtained a classification of every part of the study area, depending on the reception capacity of the considered uses. The main conclusion is that tourist housing must be regulated, although its effects cannot be generalized, since specific analysis for every neighborhood in a territory is needed.
Diversification in Tourism-Related Activities and Social Sustainability in the State of Hidalgo, Mexico
Authors: Hernández-Calzada Martín Aubert , Pérez-Hernández Carla Carolina , Ferreiro-Seoane Francisco Jesús
Published: November 2019

The objective of this paper is to explore the empirical relationships between the economic diversification of tourism-specific products (TSPs) and human development (as a key piece of social sustainability) at the sub-state level using the scenario of the State of Hidalgo in the year 2014 (the most recent period available) as the context for the study. The first step was to develop an algebraic analysis using the reflection method (RM) to map, for the first time, the diversity and ubiquity of the municipalities of Hidalgo in relation to tourism-related activities in the region. Secondly, additional diversity proxy measures were calculated, namely Shannon’s entropy and the Hirshman–Herfindalhl index, using employment data derived from the TSPs. This allowed us to run a series of regressions that show the explanatory power of the diversification of tourism-related activities on human development. In conclusion, it was demonstrated that the diversification of tourism activities within the analyzed context is essential for social sustainability, which frames the relevance of tourism to promote the development of the region. Finally, it is noted that one of the greatest contributions of this research is the provision of empirical evidence regarding the diversity of the TSPs in a specific context, because given the peculiar structure of tourism, it is not easy to quantify the diversification of the tourism sector in an economy.
Evaluating the Sustainable Use of Saline Water Irrigation on Soil Water-Salt Content and Grain Yield under Subsurface Drainage Condition
Authors: Feng Genxiang , Zhang Zhanyu , Zhang Zemin
Published: November 2019

A sustainable irrigation system is known to improve the farmland soil water-salt environment and increase crop yields. However, the sustainable use of saline irrigation water under proper drainage measures still needs further study. In this study, a two-year experiment was performed to assess the sustainable effects of saline water irrigation under subsurface drainage condition. A coupled model consisting of the HYDRUS-2D model and EPIC module was used to investigate the effects of irrigation water salinity (IWS) and subsurface drainage depth (SDD) on soil water-salt content and summer maize yield when saline water was adopted for irrigation under different subsurface drainage measures. Summer maize in the two-year experiments were irrigated with saline water of three different salinity levels (0.78, 3.75, and 6.25 dS m−1) under three different drainage conditions (no subsurface drainage, drain depth of 80 cm, and drain depth of 120 cm). The field observed data such as soil water content, soil salinity within root zone, ET and grain yield in 2016 and 2017 were used for calibration and validation, respectively. The calibration and validation results indicated that there was good correlation between the field measured data and the HYDRUS-EPIC model simulated data, where RMSE, NSE (> 0.50), and R2 (> 0.70) satisfied the requirements of model accuracy. Based on a seven × seven (IWS × SDD) scenario simulation, the effects of IWS and SDD on summer maize relative grain yield and water use efficiency (WUE) were evaluated in the form of a contour map; the relative grain yield and WUE obtained peak values when drain depth was around 100 cm, where the relative yield of summer maize was about 0.82 and 0.53 at IWS of 8 and 12 dS m−1, and the mean WUE was 1.66 kg m−3. The proper IWS under subsurface drainage systems was also optimized by the scenario simulation results; the summer maize relative yield was still about 0.80 even when the IWS was as high as 8.61 dS m−1. In summary, subsurface drainage measures may provide important support for the sustainable utilization of saline water in irrigation. Moreover, the coupled HYDRUS-EPIC model should be a beneficial tool to evaluate future sustainability of the irrigation system.
Dynamic Performance Management: An Approach for Managing the Common Goods
Authors: Sardi Alberto , Sorano Enrico
Published: November 2019

Public organizations need innovative approaches for managing common goods and to explain the dynamics linking the (re)generation of common goods and organizational performance. Although system dynamics is recognised as a useful approach for managing common goods, public organizations rarely adopt the system dynamics for this goal. The paper aims to review the literature on the system dynamics and its recent application, known as dynamic performance management, to highlight the state of the art and future opportunities on the management of common goods. The authors analyzed 144 documents using a systematic literature review. The results obtained outline a fair number of documents, countries and journals involving the study of system dynamics, but do not cover sufficient research on the linking between the (re)generation of common goods and organizational performance. This paper outlines academic and practical contributions. Firstly, it contributes to the theory of common goods. It provides insight for linking the management of common goods and organizational performance through the use of dynamic performance management approach. Furthermore, it shows scholars the main research opportunities. Secondly, it indicates to practitioners the documents providing useful ideas on the adoption of system dynamics for managing common goods.
Developing a Revenue Sharing Method for an Operational Transfer-Operate-Transfer Project
Authors: Du Yanhua , Fang Jun , Ke Yongjian , Philbin Simon P , Zhang Jingxiao
Published: November 2019

The transfer-operate-transfer (TOT) project model is used widely as a commercial framework for public-private-partnerships to support provision of infrastructure and enable the delivery of services. However, operational delivery of such projects can encounter certain challenges, such as the need for improved revenue sharing between governmental and private partners. The purpose of this paper is to design a revenue sharing method (RSM) that satisfies the revenue-sharing forecast in the contract design stage and the realized revenue sharing in the contract execution period for an operational TOT project. This approach identifies the impact of external uncertainty and effort level as well as the input ratio on revenue sharing of participants, distributes and reasonably minimizes the project revenue uncertainty among the participants, and achieves an improved matching of the participants’ revenue sharing with their risk-sharing, resource input and effort level. The paper utilizes the fuzzy-payoffs Shapley value method for revenue distribution for an operational TOT project, where the fuzzy alliance and input ratio coefficient are adopted to gradually optimize the Shapley value and form the RSM of an operational TOT project. The RSM allows prediction of the revenue sharing of participations under uncertain conditions of project revenue and supports improved decision-making by participants.
Bat Optimized Link State Routing Protocol for Energy-Aware Mobile Ad-Hoc Networks
Authors: Jubair Mohammed Ahmed , Mostafa Salama A. , Muniyandi Ravie Chandren , Mahdin Hairulnizam , Mustapha Aida , Hassan Mustafa Hamid , Mahmoud Moamin A. , Al-Jawhar Yasir Amer , Al-Khaleefa Ahmed Salih , Mahmood Ahmed Jubair
Published: November 2019

Mobile ad hoc network (MANET) can be described as a group of wireless mobile nodes that form a temporary dynamic and independent infrastructure network or a central administration facility. High energy consumption is one of the main problems associated with the MANET technology. The wireless mobile nodes used in this process rely on batteries because the network does not have a steady power supply. Thus, the rapid battery drain reduces the lifespan of the network. In this paper, a new Bat Optimized Link State Routing (BOLSR) protocol is proposed to improve the energy usage of the Optimized Link State Routing (OLSR) protocol in the MANET. The symmetry between OLSR of MANET and Bat Algorithm (BA) is that both of them use the same mechanism for finding the path via sending and receiving specific signals. This symmetry resulted in the BOLSR protocol that determines the optimized path from a source node to a destination node according to the energy dynamics of the nodes. The BOLSR protocol is implemented in a MANET simulation by using MATLAB toolbox. Different scenarios are tested to compare the BOLSR protocol with the Cellular Automata African Buffalo Optimization (CAABO), Energy-Based OLSR (EBOLSR), and the standard OLSR. The performance metric consists of routing overhead ratios, energy consumption, and end-to-end delay which is applied to evaluate the performance of the routing protocols. The results of the tests reveal that the BOLSR protocol reduces the energy consumption and increases the lifespan of the network, compared with the CAABO, EBOLSR, and OLSR.
Precanonical Structure of the Schrödinger Wave Functional of a Quantum Scalar Field in Curved Space-Time
Authors: Kanatchikov Igor V.
Published: November 2019

The functional Schrödinger representation of a nonlinear scalar quantum field theory in curved space-time is shown to emerge as a singular limit from the formulation based on precanonical quantization. The previously established relationship between the functional Schrödinger representation and precanonical quantization is extended to arbitrary curved space-times. In the limiting case when the inverse of the ultraviolet parameter ϰ introduced by precanonical quantization is mapped to the infinitesimal invariant spatial volume element, the canonical functional derivative Schrödinger equation is derived from the manifestly covariant partial derivative precanonical Schrödinger equation. The Schrödinger wave functional is expressed as the trace of the multidimensional spatial product integral of Clifford-algebra-valued precanonical wave function or the product integral of a scalar function obtained from the precanonical wave function by a sequence of transformations. In non-static space-times, the transformations include a nonlocal transformation given by the time-ordered exponential of the zero-th component of spin-connection.
Deoxynivalenol Inhibits Porcine Intestinal Trefoil Factors Expression in Weanling Piglets and IPEC-J2 Cells
Authors: Wang Shuai , Zhang Cong , Wang Xu , Yang Jiacheng , Wu Kuntan , Zhang Jiacai , Zhang Beiyu , Yang Ao , Qi Desheng
Published: November 2019

Trefoil factors (TFFs) are regulatory peptides playing critical roles in mucosal repair and protection against a variety of insults within the gastrointestinal tract. This work aimed to explore the effects of deoxynivalenol (DON) on intestinal TFFs expression using in vivo and in vitro models. In an animal trial, twenty-four 28-d-old barrows (Duroc × Landrace × Large White; initial body weight = 7.6 ± 0.7 kg) were randomly divided into three treatments for 28 days, including a control diet (0.61 mg DON/kg feed), and two levels of DON-contaminated diets containing 1.28 and 2.89 mg DON/kg feed, respectively. Piglets exposed to DON had lower mRNA expression of TFF1, TFF2, TFF3, as well as Claudin-4 in the intestine (P < 0.05). Dietary DON exposure decreased the protein levels of TFF2 and TFF3 in the jejunum as demonstrated by western blot and immunohistochemistry. In intestinal porcine epithelial cells (IPEC-J2), DON depressed the mRNA expression of TFF2, TFF3, and Claudin-4. Overexpression of sterile alpha motif (SAM) pointed domain E26 transformation-specific (ETS) factor (SPDEF) was found to attenuate DON-induced suppression of TFFs in IPEC-J2 cells. Altogether, our work shows, for the first time, that dietary DON exposure depresses the expression of intestinal TFFs in piglets. Given the fundamental role of TFFs in intestinal mucosal homeostasis, our observations indicate that the DON content in animal feed should be strictly controlled based on the existing regulation for DON.
Erythromycin Estolate Inhibits Zika Virus Infection by Blocking Viral Entry as a Viral Inactivator
Authors: Wang Xiaohuan , Xia Shuai , Zou Peng , Lu Lu
Published: November 2019

Recently, Zika virus (ZIKV) has attracted much attention in consideration of its association with severe neurological complications including fetal microcephaly. However, there are currently no prophylactic vaccines or therapeutic drugs approved for clinical treatments of ZIKV infection. To determine the potential anti-ZIKV inhibitors, we screened a library of clinical drugs with good safety profiles. Erythromycin estolate (Ery-Est), one of the macrolide antibiotics, was found to effectively inhibit ZIKV infection in different cell types and significantly protect A129 mice from ZIKV-associated neurological signs and mortality. Through further investigation, Ery-Est was verified to inhibit ZIKV entry by disrupting the integrity of the viral membrane which resulted in the loss of ZIKV infectivity. Furthermore, Ery-Est also showed inhibitory activity against dengue virus (DENV) and yellow fever virus (YFV). Thus, Ery-Est may be a promising drug for patients with ZIKV infection, particularly pregnant women.
Modeling Travel Time Distributions of Preferential Subsurface Runoff, Deep Percolation and Transpiration at A Montane Forest Hillslope Site
Authors: Dusek Jaromir , Vogel Tomas
Published: November 2019

Residence and travel times of water in headwater catchments, or their smaller spatial units, such as individual hillslopes, represent important descriptors of catchments’ hydrological regime. In this study, travel time distributions and residence times were evaluated for a montane forest hillslope site. A two-dimensional dual-continuum model, previously validated on water flow and oxygen-18 data, was used to simulate the seasonal soil water regime and selected major rainfall–runoff events observed at the hillslope site. The model was subsequently used to generate hillslope breakthrough curves of a fictitious conservative tracer applied at the hillslope surface in the form of the Dirac impulse. The simulated tracer breakthroughs allowed us to estimate the travel time distributions of soil water associated with the episodic subsurface stormflow, deep percolation and transpiration, thus yielding partial travel time distributions for the individual discharge processes. The travel time distributions determined for stormflow were dominated by the lateral component of preferential flow. The stormflow median travel times, calculated for nine selected rainfall–runoff events, varied considerably—ranging from 1 to 17 days. The estimated travel times were significantly affected by the temporal rainfall patterns and antecedent soil moisture distributions. The residence times of soil water, evaluated for three consecutive growing seasons, ranged from 29 to 37 days. The analysis reveals the interplay of soil water storage and discharge processes at the hillslope site of interest. The applied methodology can be used for the evaluation of runoff dynamics at the hillslope and catchment scales as well as for the quantification of biogeochemical transformations of dissolved chemicals.
A Simple Approach to Predicting the Reliability of Small Wastewater Treatment Plants
Authors: Bunce Joshua T. , Graham David W.
Published: November 2019

The treatment performance of small wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) is not well understood, and their ecological impact may be underestimated. Growing evidence suggests they play a critical role in ensuring sustainable wastewater management, meaning they can no longer be neglected. The aim of this study was to provide new data, understanding, and analytical approaches to improve the management of existing small WWTPs. A one-year sampling campaign was performed in the rural UK, and we found the effluent quality from twelve small versus three larger WWTPs was significantly poorer (p < 0.05) across a range of performance parameters. Specifically, mean removal rates at the small plants were 67.3 ± 20.4%, 80 ± 33.9%, and 55.5 ± 30.4% for soluble chemical oxygen demand (sCOD), total suspended solids (TSS), and NH4-N (± standard deviation), respectively, whereas equivalent rates for larger plants were 73.3 ± 17.6%, 91.7 ± 4.6%, and 92.9 ± 3.7%. A random forest classification model was found to accurately predict the likelihood of smaller WWTPs becoming unreliable. Importantly, when condensed to the three most ‘important’ predictors, the classifier retained accuracy, which may reduce the data requirements for effective WWTP management. Among the important predictors was population equivalence, suggesting the smallest WWTPs may require particularly stringent management. Growing awareness of the need for sustainable wastewater and water resources management makes this new approach both timely and widely relevant.
Assessment of Water Supply Stability for Drought-Vulnerable Boryeong Multipurpose Dam in South Korea Using Future Dry Climate Change Scenarios
Authors: Kim Wonjin , Lee Jiwan , Kim Jinuk , Kim Seongjoon
Published: November 2019

This study assessed the water supply stability for Boryeong multipurpose dam by applying future dry climate change scenarios and Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT). CMCC-CM, INM-CM4, and IPSL-CM5A-MR RCP 4.5 and 8.5 scenarios were selected as the future dry conditions using Runs theory and Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI). For historical (1980–1999), present (2000–2019), and future periods (2030s, 2050s, 2070s, and 2090s) of the 6 scenarios, SWAT model was used to simulate the future dam water supply stability. The stability was evaluated in terms of reliability (RT), resilience (RS), and vulnerability (V) based on the monthly target storage. The results showed that the future RT can be decreased to 0.803 in 2050s IPSL-CM5A-MR RCP 8.5 scenario from present 0.955. The future RS and V showed the minimum value of 0.003 and the biggest value of 3567.6 × 106 m3 in 2070s IPSL-CM5A-MR RCP 4.5 scenario. The future RT, RS, and V showed that the dam has low resilience and is vulnerable to future drought scenarios.
Methodical Comparison of Alternative Powertrain Technologies for Long-Distance Mobility Using Germany as an Example
Authors: Weigelt Michael , Mayr Andreas , Kühl Alexander , Franke Jörg
Published: November 2019

The main barriers to the wide acceptance of electric vehicles, such as the limited driving range or the high acquisition costs, are to be countered by various technology alternatives for the powertrain of the future. Promising developments include improved battery technologies, fuel cell technologies or a constant power supply of the vehicle while driving, for example through dynamic inductive charging. In this context, a holistic technology comparison would contribute to a comprehensive and understandable information situation by making the heterogeneous technological concepts comparable with regard to different evaluation criteria. Therefore, this work describes the basic assumptions of the proposed holistic comparison of alternative powertrain technologies for long-distance mobility. Relevant framework conditions are structured and a procedure for the evaluation of infrastructure expenditures is shown. Building on this, a selection of key performance indicators is defined and explained. The proposed KPI framework is applied to a passenger car in the economic area Germany. The results show that by using electrified roadways, ecological as well as economic advantages against other alternative powertrain designs can be derived.
Varia
Authors: Hamp Eric P.
Published: November 2019

36. A propos du suffixe de gaul. barnaunom. —

37. Origine du doublet v. irl. fén (m.) / fénae (f.) «chariot». —

38. Étymologie et classement de formation du bret. bern «tas». — 39. Sur la mutation observée dans bret. dour zomm «eau chaude», leur zi «sol de la maison».
Gloses en vieux-breton : 1-5
Authors: Lambert Pierre-Yves
Published: November 2019

1. Sur deux gloses inédites d’un manuscrit d’Orose, Leyde Voss. Lat. F. 13 : l’une est déjà connue par un autre témoin, l’autre est très corrompue (a amguisic gl. limbo). — 2. Réinterprétalion du vbret. ermenneticion ; correction de lecture (à propos d’un signe d’abréviation, m- = men), examen philologique montrant que le mot glose lat. quaesitus. — 3. Sur trois gloses aux Poèmes hispériques du ms. BN Lat. 11411 : vbret. ergueherent glosant fascinant appartient au même thème verbal que vbret. aruuoart gl. fascinauit ; erdrerc «évident» a pu subir l’influence d’un modèle irlandais *erderc. — enchehen dame «je suis contraint» serait une copie transformée d’une glose virl. écen dam, même sens. — 4. Une glose nouvelle au poème hispérique Rubisca doit être relue am-crum (gl. amphicuruo). — 5. Nouvelles remarques aux gloses à Bède du ms. Angers 477 : dan guileri, «huic libro» comporterait le pron. poss. 1 pl. (h)an, (h)on «notre» ; go-diat «en une journée» doit comporter la prép. guo- «sous»» *adau em n’existe pas, c’est une expr. latine ad austra(les) ; *didimicont est une fausse lecture pour dichmicont «ils inventent» ; restitution du mot [ba]did «baptême» dans une glose sans cela obscure.
Documenti sull’attività di produzione e di scambio nelle prime fasi della romanizzazione dell'Ager Mutinensis
Authors: Giordani Nicoletta
Published: November 2019

Nicoletta Giordani, Documents sur l’activité de production et d’échange pendant les premières phases de la romanisation de l’Ager Mutinensis

Les fouilles récentes du territoire au sud de Mutina (Modène) indiquent la présence précoce, dès la fin du IIIe siècle avant J.-C., alors que cette zone était encore sous le contrôle des Boïens, d’élément romains ou romanisés, liée probablement à la florissante foire ovine panitalique des Campi Macri.

L’existence de cet ancien marché, d’origine sans doute protohistorique, et de son réseau de communications, a dû jouer un rôle décisif dans l’implantation locale d’imposants complexes «industriels», d’un haut niveau technique. Explorés depuis peu à Formigine, Magreta et Maranello, ils fabriquaient des produits en terre cuite dont l’identification reste incertaine et peuvent être datés du IIe-Ier siècle avant J.-C.
The solar year in the Calendar of Coligny
Authors: McCluskey Stephen C.
Published: November 2019

The solar year in the Calendar of Coligny

The Calendar of Coligny provides the earliest written evidence for Celtic calendric practice. Yet as written, it does not conform to a true solar year. A thorough examination of the calendar reveals a hitherto unnoticed pattern of pairs of notations beginning “PRI...” that divide the solar year into quarters. The four dates involved in these quarter divisions (2 Rivros, 4 Cutios, 2 Equos and 4 Cantlos) may mark either the Celtic mid-quarters feasts or the solstices and equinoxes. This strongly suggests that at one stage in its development the calendar was synchronized empirically by solar observations, which were probably made or announced at ceremonial, trading, or political assemblies at the quarters of the year.
Compléments gallo-grecs
Authors: Lejeune Michel
Published: November 2019

Michel Lejeune, Compléments gallo-grecs

Édition d’un graffite vasculaire provenant d’une tombe de Nîmes : ουαναικου, dat. sg. thématique de nom d’homme, et d’un autre graffite provenant d’Alésia : ινδαμιλλ.
Varia
Authors: Hamp Eric P.
Published: November 2019

Varia

40. On a phrase in the Celtiberian inscription of Botorrita, śos auCu(e) aŕeiTaḷọ Tamai ; 41-42. The Cisalpine Gaulish inscription of Briona : AN(N)OKO(M)BOGIOS ; four wheels = CHARIOT ; 43. The Gallo-greek gen. pl. MATPON ; 44. Gaulish Brisias, gen. sg. of a masc. name ; 45. OIr. díth, compound with the root *pet- “to fall” ; 46. Ir. feidm “charge” ; 47. OIr. bí “threshold”, on the root *bhi-H- “to cut” ; 48. Celtic reflexes of the I.E. root *tpl9- “defend” : OIr. taball “sling”, W. taflu “to cast”, OIr. teilm “sling” ; 49. Morphology of the Celtic adjectives with -sk- : OIr. tailc “strong”, balc “strong”, basc “red” ; notes on OIr. ball “limb” and (Fir) Bolg, Celtiberian ComPalCés ; derivation of s-stems.
The hero’s voyage in Immram Curaig Mailduin
Authors: Aguirre Manuel
Published: November 2019

The hero's voyage in Immram Curaig Mailduin

In the ancient Irish tale of “The Voyage of Mael Dúin”, there is more than ahero’s adventurous seafare and search for his father’s murderer : it is primarily a spiritual and purificatory itinerary, a quest for self-knowledge. This spirituality seems to be completely different from the Christian inspiration normally found in this type of tale.
The Toddaid and Gwawdodyn byr in the poetry of Dafydd ap Gwilym, with an Appendix concerning the Traethodlau attributed to him
Authors: Crawford T. D.
Published: November 2019

The Toddaid and Gwawdodyn byr in the poetry of Dafydd ap Gwilyn, with an appendix concerning the traethodlau attributed to him

The two metres toddaid and gwawdodyn byr are archaic meters inherited from the Gogynfeirdd, and characteristic of the awdl. Dafydd ap Gwilym did not write many poems with these two meters ; the author seeks for the metrical features characterising the works of Dafydd in order to determine new criteria for authenticity. One of the awdlau would then appear as spurious (I Iesu Grist). As regards the traethodlau, whose metrics are freer and adapted to the setting of conversation, no formal evidence was found against their authenticity.