bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Ubiquitin Carboxyl-Terminal Hydrolase L1 (UCHL1) Promotes Uterine Serous Cancer Cell Proliferation and Cell Cycle Progression
Authors: Kwan Suet-Ying , Au-Yeung Chi-Lam , Yeung Tsz-Lun , Rynne-Vidal Angela , Wong Kwong-Kwok , Risinger John I. , Lin Hui-Kuan , Schmandt Rosemarie E. , Yates Melinda S. , Mok Samuel C. , Lu Karen H.
Published: January 2020

Uterine serous carcinoma (USC) is the most aggressive form of endometrial cancer, with poor survival rates and high recurrence risk. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to identify therapeutic targets that could aid in the management of USC. By analyzing endometrial cancer samples from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), we found Ubiquitin Carboxyl-Terminal Hydrolase L1 (UCHL1) to be highly expressed in USC and to correlate with poorer overall survival. UCHL1 silencing reduced cell proliferation in vitro and in vivo, cyclin B1 protein levels and cell cycle progression. Further studies showed that UCHL1 interacts with cyclin B1 and increases cyclin B1 protein stability by deubiquitination. Treatment of USC-bearing mice with the UCHL1-specific inhibitor reduced tumor growth and improved overall survival. Our findings suggest that cyclin B1 is a novel target of UCHL1 and targeting UCHL1 is a potential therapeutic strategy for USC.
Influence of Radiotherapy Fractionation Schedule on the Tumor Vascular Microenvironment in Prostate and Lung Cancer Models
Authors: Clément-Colmou Karen , Potiron Vincent , Pietri Manon , Guillonneau Maëva , Jouglar Emmanuel , Chiavassa Sophie , Delpon Grégory , Paris François , Supiot Stéphane
Published: January 2020

Background. The tumor vasculature acts as an interface for the primary tumor. It regulates oxygenation, nutrient delivery, and treatment efficacy including radiotherapy. The response of the tumor vasculature to different radiation doses has been disparately reported. Whereas high single doses can induce endothelial cell death, improved vascular functionality has also been described in a various dose range, and few attempts have been made to reconcile these findings. Therefore, we aimed at comparing the effects of different radiation fractionation regimens on the tumor vascular microenvironment. Methods: Lewis lung and prostate PC3 carcinoma-derived tumors were irradiated with regimens of 10 × 2 Gy, 6 × 4 Gy, 3 × 8 Gy or 2 × 12 Gy fractions. The tumor vasculature phenotype and function was evaluated by immunohistochemistry for endothelial cells (CD31), pericytes (desmin, α-SMA), hypoxia (pimonidazole) and perfusion (Hoechst 33342). Results: Radiotherapy increased vascular coverage similarly in all fractionation regimens in both models. Vessel density appeared unaffected. In PC3 tumors, hypoxia was decreased and perfusion was enhanced in proportion with the dose per fraction. In LLC tumors, no functional changes were observed at t = 15 days, but increased perfusion was noticed earlier (t = 9–11 days). Conclusion: The vascular microenvironment response of prostate and lung cancers to radiotherapy consists of both tumor/dose-independent vascular maturation and tumor-dependent functional parameters.
Energy Metabolism in Cancer: The Roles of STAT3 and STAT5 in the Regulation of Metabolism-Related Genes
Authors: Valle-Mendiola Arturo , Soto-Cruz Isabel
Published: January 2020

A central characteristic of many types of cancer is altered energy metabolism processes such as enhanced glucose uptake and glycolysis and decreased oxidative metabolism. The regulation of energy metabolism is an elaborate process involving regulatory proteins such as HIF (pro-metastatic protein), which reduces oxidative metabolism, and some other proteins such as tumour suppressors that promote oxidative phosphorylation. In recent years, it has been demonstrated that signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT) proteins play a pivotal role in metabolism regulation. STAT3 and STAT5 are essential regulators of cytokine- or growth factor-induced cell survival and proliferation, as well as the crosstalk between STAT signalling and oxidative metabolism. Several reports suggest that the constitutive activation of STAT proteins promotes glycolysis through the transcriptional activation of hypoxia-inducible factors and therefore, the alteration of mitochondrial activity. It seems that STAT proteins function as an integrative centre for different growth and survival signals for energy and respiratory metabolism. This review summarises the functions of STAT3 and STAT5 in the regulation of some metabolism-related genes and the importance of oxygen in the tumour microenvironment to regulate cell metabolism, particularly in the metabolic pathways that are involved in energy production in cancer cells.
Graphene-Based Heterogeneous Catalysis: Role of Graphene
Authors: Yam Kah , Guo Na , Jiang Zhuoling , Li Shulong , Zhang Chun
Published: January 2020

Graphene, the reincarnation of a surface, offers new opportunities in catalytic applications, not only because of its peculiar electronic structure, but also because of the ease of modulating it. A vast number of proposals have been made to support this point, but there has been a lack of a systematic understanding of the different roles of graphene, as many other reviews published have focused on the synthesis and characterization of the various graphene-based catalysts. In this review, we surveyed the vast literature related to various theoretical proposals and experimental realizations of graphene-based catalysts to first classify and then elucidate the different roles played by graphene in solid-state heterogeneous catalysis. Owing to its one-atom thickness and zero bandgap with low density of states around Fermi level, graphene has great potential in catalysis applications. In general, graphene can function as a support for catalysts, a cover to protect catalysts, or the catalytic center itself. Understanding these functions is important in the design of catalysts in terms of how to optimize the electronic structure of the active sites for particular applications, a few case studies of which will be presented for each role.
Physical Security for Fleet Management Systems
Authors: Hamadaqa Emad , Mars Ayoub , Adi Wael
Published: January 2020

Fleet Management (FM) deals with the management of transport, distribution, and logistics of national and international goods exchange, in which many operators worldwide are involved. Fleet management involves many security-relevant participating entities, such as vehicles, FM mobile clients, smart trackers with goods, drivers, etc. Existing automated fleet management systems are basically vulnerable to physical replacement attacks when managed by mass-produced electronic identities. Analog Physical Unclonable Functions (PUFs) failed to serve as unclonable electronic identities due to being costly, unstable and inefficient for such mass-usage. We propose in this paper to deploy the Secret Unknown Ciphers (SUCs) techniques introduced a decade ago as digital low-cost clone-resistant identities to be embedded in selected participating electronic Fleet Management System (FMS) units. SUCs, as stable self-created digital modules to be embedded in future smart non-volatile (NV)-FPGA devices, are expected to cover all emerging FMS physical security requirements. Such information-retaining units (when switched-off) are emerging to become widely used as ultra-low-power mass-products in automotive environment. We propose a new FMS security architecture based on embedding SUC modules in each security-relevant entity in the FMS such as vehicles, mobile clients, smart trackers and goods. This paper investigates the expected technical impacts when using SUCs technology as physical security anchors in a standard FMS configuration. Several SUC-related generic security protocols adapted to the FM environment show how to securely-link tracing of goods, tracks routing, and personnel in such FM system. It is also shown how to combine other biometric fingerprints to simplify personal liability and enhance the security management in such globally-operating automated procedures. The presented security analysis of the resulting FMS shows that the major security concerns in existing FMSs can be resolved. One major advantage of SUC technique, is that device-manufacturers can be largely-excluded as security players. The FPGA technology required for the SUC solution is currently not available and is thought for future use. The concept is ultimately applicable if the future electronic mass products would deploy self-reconfiguring non-volatile (flash-based) System on Chip smart units. Such units are expected to dominate future Internet of Things (IoT) ultra-low-energy applications, as power-off does not lose any information. The proposed SUC strategy is highly flexible, scalable, and applicable to cover a large class of globally operating protection mechanisms similar to those of the addressed FMS scenarios.
Two New Marine Free-Living Nematodes from Jeju Island Together with a Review of the Genus Gammanema Cobb 1920 (Nematoda, Chromadorida, Selachinematidae)
Authors: Tchesunov Alexei , Jeong Raehyuk , Lee Wonchoel
Published: January 2020

In the context of exploration of meiofauna in a sandy intertidal zone of Jeju Island (South Korea), over 70 nematode species are identified, some which have been proven to be new for science. Two new free-living marine nematode species of the family Selachinematidae (Chromadorida, Selachinematidae, Choniolaiminae) are described from the intertidal sandy sediments of Jeju Island (South Korea). Gammanema okhlopkovi sp. n. is closest to Gammanema anthostoma (Okhlopkov, 2002) and differs by having longer cephalic setae (8.5–19 μm in G. okhlopkovi versus 6–7.5 μm in G. anthostoma) and by the presence of precloacal supplementary organs. The genus diagnosis of Gammanema is updated. The genus includes fourteen valid species, while three species are considered species inquirendae due to incomplete diagnoses and illustrations impeding their correct recognition. An annotated list of valid and invalid Gammanema species is provided. A pictorial key for valid Gammanema species is constructed, which consists of two components: (1) simplified images of heads, and (2) a table summarizing most of the significant measured and numeric characters between species. Latronema obscuramphis sp. n. differs from its related species Latronema aberrans (Allgén 1934), Latronema annulatum (Gerlach, 1953), and Latronema spinosum (Andrássy, 1973) by body size, number of supplementary organs, tail shape, length of spicules, and cuticle ornamentation.
Multi-Domain Entropy-Random Forest Method for the Fusion Diagnosis of Inter-Shaft Bearing Faults with Acoustic Emission Signals
Authors: Tian Jing , Liu Lili , Zhang Fengling , Ai Yanting , Wang Rui , Fei Chengwei
Published: January 2020

Inter-shaft bearing as a key component of turbomachinery is a major source of catastrophic accidents. Due to the requirement of high sampling frequency and high sensitivity to impact signals, AE (Acoustic Emission) signals are widely applied to monitor and diagnose inter-shaft bearing faults. With respect to the nonstationary and nonlinear of inter-shaft bearing AE signals, this paper presents a novel fault diagnosis method of inter-shaft bearing called the multi-domain entropy-random forest (MDERF) method by fusing multi-domain entropy and random forest. Firstly, the simulation test of inter-shaft bearing faults is conducted to simulate the typical fault modes of inter-shaft bearing and collect the data of AE signals. Secondly, multi-domain entropy is proposed as a feature extraction approach to extract the four entropies of AE signal. Finally, the samples in the built set are divided into two subsets to train and establish the random forest model of bearing fault diagnosis, respectively. The effectiveness and generalization ability of the developed model are verified based on the other experimental data. The proposed fault diagnosis method is validated to hold good generalization ability and high diagnostic accuracy (~0.9375) without over-fitting phenomenon in the fault diagnosis of bearing shaft.
Forest Climax Phenomenon: An Invariance of Scale
Authors: Petrokas Raimundas
Published: January 2020

We can think of forests as multiscale multispecies networks, constantly evolving toward a climax or potential natural community—the successional process-pattern of natural regeneration that exhibits sensitivity to initial conditions. This is why I look into forest succession in light of the Red Queen hypothesis and focus on the key aspects of ecological self-organisation: dynamical criticality, evolvability and intransitivity. The idea of the review is that forest climax should be associated with habitat dynamics driven by a large continuum of ecologically equivalent time scales, so that the same ecological conclusions could be drawn statistically from any scale. A synthesis of the literature is undertaken in order to (1) present the framework for assessing habitat dynamics and (2) present the types of successional trajectories based on tree regeneration mode in forest gaps. In general, there are four types of successional trajectories within the process-pattern of forest regeneration that exhibits sensitivity to initial conditions: advance reproduction specialists, advance reproduction generalists, early reproduction generalists and early reproduction specialists. A successional trajectory is an expression of a fractal connectivity among certain patterns of natural regeneration in the multiscale multispecies networks of landscape habitats. Theoretically, the organically derived measures of pattern diversity, integrity and complexity, determined by the rates of recruitment, growth and mortality of forest tree species, are the means to test the efficacy of specific interventions to avert the disturbance-related decline in forest regeneration. That is of relevance to the emerging field of biocomplexity research.
Ustilago Rabenhorstiana—An Alternative Natural Itaconic Acid Producer
Authors: Krull Susan , Lünsmann Malin , Prüße Ulf , Kuenz Anja
Published: January 2020

Itaconic acid is an industrial produced chemical by the sensitive filamentous fungus Aspergillus terreus and can replace petrochemical-based monomers for polymer industry. To produce itaconic acid with alternative renewable substrates, such as lignocellulosic based hydrolysates, a robust microorganism is needed due to varying compositions and impurities. Itaconic acid producing basidiomycetous yeasts of the family Ustilaginaceae provide this required characteristic and the species Ustilago rabenhorstiana was examined in this study. By an optimization of media components, process parameters, and a fed-batch mode with glucose the final titer increased from maximum 33.3 g·L−1 in shake flasks to 50.3 g·L−1 in a bioreactor. Moreover, itaconic acid was produced from different sugar monomers based on renewable feedstocks by U. rabenhorstiana and the robustness against weak acids as sugar degradation products was confirmed. Based on these findings, U. rabenhorstiana has a high potential as alternative natural itaconic acid producer besides the well-known U. maydis and A. terreus.
Software Defined Networking (SDN) and Network Function Virtualization (NFV)
Authors: Papavassiliou Symeon
Published: January 2020

The role of Software Defined Networking (SDN) and Network Function Virtualization (NFV) have been instrumental in realizing the transition and vision “from black boxes to a white box towards facilitating 5G network architectures”. Though significant research results and several deployments have occurred and realized over the last few years focusing on the NFV and SDN technologies, several issues—both of theoretical and practical importance—remain still open. Accordingly, the papers of this special issue are significant contributions samples within the general ecosystem highlighted above, ranging from SDN and NFV architectures and implementations, to SDN-NFV integration and orchestration approaches, while considering issues associated with optimization, network management and security aspects. In particular, a total of nine excellent articles (one review and eight original research articles) have been accepted, following a rigorous review process, and addressing many of the aforementioned challenges and beyond.
The Musical Bridge—Intercultural Regionalism and the Immigration Challenge in Contemporary Andalusia
Authors: Conversi Daniele , Machin-Autenrieth Matthew
Published: January 2020

The ideals of tolerance and cultural exchange associated with the interfaith past of Muslim Spain (al-Andalus) have become a symbol for Andalusian regionalism and for the integration of Moroccan communities. Nowhere is this more keenly felt than in the context of music. In cities such as Granada, Moroccan and Spanish musicians actively promote the ideals of intercultural dialogue through the performance of repertoires such as flamenco and Arab-Andalusian music that allegedly possess a shared cultural history. In this article, we examine the interrelationship between music and ‘intercultural regionalism’, focusing on how music is used by public institutions to ground social integration in the discourse of regionalism. Against a backdrop of rising Islamophobia and the mobilization of right-wing populist and anti-immigration rhetoric both within Spain and internationally, the authors consider how music can be used to promote social integration, to overcome Islamophobia and to tackle radicalization. We advance two arguments. First, we argue that the musical interculturalism promoted by a variety of institutions needs to be understood within the wider project of Andalusian regionalism. Here, we note that musical integration of Spain’s cultural and historical ‘Other’ (Moroccans) into Andalusian society is promoted as a model for how Europe can overcome the alleged ‘death of multiculturalism’. The preferential way to achieve this objective is through ‘intercultural regionalism’, envisioned as the combination of regional identity-building and intercultural interactions between communities that share a common cultural heritage. Second, we assess some of the criticism of the efficacy of al-Andalus as a model for contemporary intercultural exchange. Combining approaches in political science and ethnomusicology, we focus on one case study, the Fundación Tres Culturas (FTC). Through interviews with figures within the FTC, we examine why this model has become partly insufficient and how it is borne out in the sorts of musical activities programmed by FTC that seek to move beyond the ‘andalusí’ myth. We conclude by recognizing the continuing regional and international importance of this myth but we question its integrating capacity at a time of radical political, economic and environmental upheaval.
The Spanish Plurinational Labyrinth. Practical Reasons for Criticising the Nationalist Bias of Others While Ignoring One’s Own Nationalist Position
Authors: Moreno Carmelo
Published: January 2020

To analyse the Spanish national question requires considering the relationship between the idea of the nation and the phenomenon of nationalism on one side, and the question of political plurality on the other. The approval of the Constitutional text 40 years ago was achieved thanks to a delicate semantic balancing act concerning the concept of nation, whose interpretation remains open. Academic studies of public opinion, such as the famous Linz-Moreno Question—also known as Moreno Question—that measures the possible mixture of Spanish subjective national identity, are equally the object of wide controversy. The extent to which political plurinationality is a suitable concept for defining the country is not clear because, amongst other reasons, the political consequences that might derive from adopting the concept are unknown. This article sets out the thesis that Spain is a plurinational labyrinth since there is neither consensus nor are there discursive strategies that might help in forming an image of the country in national terms. The paradox of this labyrinth is that, since the approval of the Constitution in 1978, the political actors have accepted that nationality in Spain is insoluble without taking the plurinational idea into account. But, at the same time, it is not easy to assume such plurinationality in practical terms because the political cost to those actors that openly defend national plurality is very high. For this reason, political discourses in Spain on the national question offer a highly ambiguous scenario, where the actors seek windows of opportunity and are reluctant to take risks in order to solve this puzzle situation. The aim of this paper is to analyse which indicators are most efficient for testing how the different actors position themselves facing the phenomenon of the Spanish plurinational labyrinth. The clearest examples are what we refer to here as the concepts of (i) intersubjective national identity and (ii) plurinational governments.
The Effect of Haplotypes in the CETP and LIPC Genes on the Triglycerides to HDL-C Ratio and Its Components in the Roma and Hungarian General Populations
Authors: Piko Peter , Fiatal Szilvia , Werissa Nardos Abebe , Bekele Bayu Begashaw , Racz Gabor , Kosa Zsigmond , Sandor Janos , Adany Roza
Published: January 2020

Background: The triglycerides (TG) to high-density lipoprotein (HDL)-cholesterol (HDL-C) ratio (TG/HDL-C) is a well-known predictor for cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) with great heritability background. The cholesteryl ester transfer protein (CETP) and hepatic lipase (LIPC) gene affect TG/HDL-C ratio. This study aims to explore the association between haplotypes (H) in CETP (based on 5 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs)) and LIPC (based on 6 SNPs) genes and the TG/HDL-C ratio and its components, among Roma and Hungarian general populations. Methods: The prevalence of haplotypes and their effect on HDL-C, TG and TG/HDL-C ratio were calculated in both populations and compared. Results: Ten haplotypes in CETP and 6 in LIPC gene were identified. Three haplotypes in CETP and 3 in LIPC have significant effect on HDL-C level, whereas two in CETP and 3 in LIPC on TG level. The H6 in CETP (β = 0.52, p = 0.015; odds ratio (OR) = 1.87, p = 0.009) and H5 in LIPC (β = 0.56, p < 0.001; OR = 1.51, p = 0.002) have a significant increasing effect on TG/HDL-C ratio and have shown higher prevalence among the Roma, as compared to Hungarian general population. The H2 in the CETP gene has a decreasing effect on the TG/HDL-C ratio (OR = 0.58, p = 0.019) and is significantly less frequent among the Roma. Conclusions: Accumulation of harmful haplotypes in CETP and LIPC genes might have a role in the elevated TG/HDL-C ratio in the Roma population, which contributes to a higher risk in the development of cardiovascular diseases.
Mathematical Treatment of Saturated Macroscopic Flow in Heterogeneous Porous Medium: Evaluating Darcy’s Law
Authors: Nelson R. , Williams Gustavious
Published: January 2020

We present a rigorous mathematical treatment of water flow in saturated heterogeneous porous media based on the classical Navier-Stokes formulation that includes vorticity in a heterogeneous porous media. We used the mathematical approach proposed in 1855 by James Clark Maxwell. We show that flow in heterogeneous media results in a flow field described by a heterogeneous complex lamellar vector field with rotational flows, compared to the homogeneous lamellar flow field that results from Darcy’s law. This analysis shows that Darcy’s Law does not accurately describe flow in a heterogeneous porous medium and we encourage precise laboratory experiments to determine under what conditions these issues are important. We publish this work to encourage others to perform numerical and laboratory experiments to determine the circumstances in which this derivation is applicable, and in which the complications can be disregarded.
Examining Predictors and Outcomes of Decent Work Perception with Chinese Nursing College Students
Authors: Ma Yin , You Junjer , Tang Yuanxiong
Published: January 2020

Drawing on the psychology of working theory (PWT), the present study was performed to evaluate the predictor session of the PWT and career exploration behavior with a sample of Chinese nursing college students from diverse backgrounds. The research employed a cross-sectional research design and 854 nursing students were recruited from one health vocational college situated in Northwest China. Structural equation modeling was utilized to conduct the analysis; confirmatory factor analysis and structural model testing were performed accordingly. Moreover, mediation analysis that used bias-corrected percentile bootstrapping method and moderation analysis were carried out in accordance. Overall, most of the proposed direct paths were significant, but the mediation results were mixed. Proactive personality simply moderated the impact of economic constraints on career adaptability. The results suggest that PWT is applicable to nursing college students and the model is generally supported in the Chinese context. It is the first empirical work that used this model among nursing college students and future decent work perceptions contributed another important antecedent of career exploration behavior. The practical implications based on these findings are provided as well.
Asbestos, Smoking and Lung Cancer: An Update
Authors: Klebe Sonja , Leigh James , Henderson Douglas W. , Nurminen Markku
Published: January 2020

This review updates the scientific literature concerning asbestos and lung cancer, emphasizing cumulative exposure and synergism between asbestos exposure and tobacco smoke, and proposes an evidence-based and equitable approach to compensation for asbestos-related lung cancer cases. This update is based on several earlier reviews written by the second and third authors on asbestos and lung cancer since 1995. We reevaluated the peer-reviewed epidemiologic studies. In addition, selected in vivo and in vitro animal studies and molecular and cellular studies in humans were included. We conclude that the mechanism of lung cancer causation induced by the interdependent coaction of asbestos fibers and tobacco smoke at a biological level is a multistage stochastic process with both agents acting conjointly at all times. The new knowledge gained through this review provides the evidence for synergism between asbestos exposure and tobacco smoke in lung cancer causation at a biological level. The evaluated statistical data conform best to a multiplicative model for the interaction effects of asbestos and smoking on the lung cancer risk, with no requirement for asbestosis. Any asbestos exposure, even in a heavy smoker, contributes to causation. Based on this information, we propose criteria for the attribution of lung cancer to asbestos in smokers and non-smokers.
Local–Migrant Interaction in Everyday Life in an Ancient Tourism Town
Authors: Zhang Hongxia , Su Qin , Qiao Guiqiang , Yin Yingmei , Wu Xiaoxiao , Xie Wujie
Published: January 2020

Daily interaction is a primary means of understanding social change which is of vital importance for community well-being. In tourism host communities, daily interactions among different resident groups reflect tourism’s effects which are directly related to tourists’ experiences and community harmony. In this exploratory article, grounded theory was applied to analyze daily interactions between locals and migrants in Zhouzhuang, the first ancient tourism town in China, based on in-depth interviews. A model framework was also constructed. The results pinpoint subjective interaction intention and objective interaction opportunities as two influencing factors which operate reciprocally and directly influence locals’ and migrants’ daily interactions. The findings suggest that many locals and migrants experience clear communication boundaries in daily interactions. Both groups’ subjective interaction intentions were influenced by their cultural backgrounds, group perceptions, and original social networks, all of which are difficult to modify within a short time. Therefore, increasing objective communication opportunities is a key way to promote intergroup interaction and integration. These findings provide theoretical and practical implications for tourism host communities’ well-being and sustainable development.
More Agility to Semantic Similarities Algorithm Implementations
Authors: Tsaramirsis Kostandinos , Tsaramirsis Georgios , Khan Fazal Qudus , Ahmad Awais , Khadidos Alaa Omar , Khadidos Adil
Published: January 2020

Algorithms for measuring semantic similarity between Gene Ontology (GO) terms has become a popular area of research in bioinformatics as it can help to detect functional associations between genes and potential impact to the health and well-being of humans, animals, and plants. While the focus of the research is on the design and improvement of GO semantic similarity algorithms, there is still a need for implementation of such algorithms before they can be used to solve actual biological problems. This can be challenging given that the potential users usually come from a biology background and they are not programmers. A number of implementations exist for some well-established algorithms but these implementations are not generic enough to support any algorithm other than the ones they are designed for. The aim of this paper is to shift the focus away from implementation, allowing researchers to focus on algorithm’s design and execution rather than implementation. This is achieved by an implementation approach capable of understanding and executing user defined GO semantic similarity algorithms. Questions and answers were used for the definition of the user defined algorithm. Additionally, this approach understands any direct acyclic digraph in an Open Biomedical Ontologies (OBO)-like format and its annotations. On the other hand, software developers of similar applications can also benefit by using this as a template for their applications.
Paternal and Maternal Variables Related to Depression in Childhood
Authors: Raya Trenas Antonio , Aguilar Yamuza Beatriz , Herruzo Cabrera Javier , Pino Osuna María J.
Published: January 2020

Several studies have highlighted the relationship between parenting styles and depression in children. The aim of this study is to ascertain whether there are differences in the parenting practices received by two groups of children who obtain low-risk and high-risk scores respectively in relation to depression and determine which parenting variables are linked with the presence or absence of this kind of internalizing problem. From a sample of 550 subjects, obtained by probabilistic cluster sampling, we selected 140 children between 3 and 12 years of age who met a set of specific criteria as having high risk scores (70 children) for depression according to the Behavior Assessment System for Children (BASC) or having low scores in this variable (70 children). Then, the Parent–Child Relationship Inventory (PCRI) was applied to both parents. We carried out a binomial logistic regression analysis which resulted in a prediction model for 89.3% of the sample, based on the following parenting variables: limit setting and involvement from the mothers, and parental support, autonomy, satisfaction with parenting, and communication from the fathers. Finally, the usefulness of our results to plan intervention strategies within families of children with depression is discussed.
Does the Connectivity of Urban Public Green Space Promote Its Use? An Empirical Study of Wuhan
Authors: Dong Yuping , Liu Helin , Zheng Tianming
Published: January 2020

A high greenness level can enhance green space use and outdoor physical activity. However, rapid urbanization and high-density development have led to the loss or fragmentation of green space, especially urban public green space (PGS). With the aim of increasing the health benefits from PGS, some planners and researchers suggest connecting existing PGSs to encourage urban residents to use the PGS, and thus, to improve public health. Does this suggestion stand with robustness? By taking 42 sub-districts in the inner area of Wuhan as the study objects, this paper examines the correlation between the connectivity of PGS and its use. We also explore how the characteristics of PGS and the facilities/functions in the neighboring areas influence this relationship by using Location Based Service data (WeChat-Yichuxing data), point of interest (POI) data, and remote-sensing image, etc. Using Regression Analysis, we found that there is no high correlation between PGS use and its connectivity. The possible causes might be attributed to the fact that PGS use is profoundly influenced by multifaceted competing impact factors, and no one can stand dominantly. It is interesting to see that the density of companies is positively, but slightly, related to PGS use.
Prevalence of Workplace Physical Violence against Health Care Professionals by Patients and Visitors: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Li Yi-Lu , Li Rui-Qi , Qiu Dan , Xiao Shui-Yuan
Published: January 2020

Workplace physical violence against health care professionals perpetrated by patients and visitors has been a persistent problem worldwide. Prevalence estimates varied vastly across studies and there was a lack of quantitative syntheses of prevalence studies. This review aimed to quantify pooled one-year prevalence estimates at the global and regional levels. A systematic literature search was performed in the databases of PubMed, PsycINFO, Web of Science, and Embase between 1 January 2000 and 8 October 2018. Studies providing information about one-year prevalence of self-reported workplace physical violence against health care professionals perpetrated by patients or visitors were included. Heterogeneity between studies was evaluated using Cochran’s chi-squared test (Cochran’s Q) and I2 values. Subgroup analysis and meta-regression were used to explore heterogeneity. A total of 65 eligible studies reported one-year prevalence estimates for 61,800 health care professionals from 30 countries. The pooled one-year prevalence of workplace physical violence against health care professionals perpetrated by patients or visitors was 19.33% (95% confidence interval (CI): 16.49–22.53%) and the overall heterogeneity was high across studies. We noted geographic and staff categories variations for prevalence estimates through subgroup analysis. The meta-regression showed that sample size, type of health care setting, and quality score were significant moderators for heterogeneity. One in five health care professionals experienced workplace physical violence perpetrated by patients or visitors worldwide annually. Practical intervention was needed to ensure safety of health care professionals.
Analysis of Human Papillomavirus (HPV) 16 Variants Associated with Cervical Infection in Italian Women
Authors: Martinelli Marianna , Villa Chiara , Sotgiu Giovanni , Muresu Narcisa , Perdoni Federica , Musumeci Rosario , Combi Romina , Cossu Antonio , Piana Andrea , Cocuzza Clementina
Published: January 2020

This study aims to evaluate HPV16 variants distribution in a population of Italian women living in two different regions (Lombardy and Sardinia) by sequence analyses of HPV16-positive cervical samples, in order to reconstruct the phylogenetic relationship among variants to identify the currently circulating lineages. Analyses were conducted starting from DNA isolated from 67 HPV16-positive cervical samples collected from two different Italian centres (31 from Lombardy and 36 from Sardinia) of women with normal and abnormal cervical cytology. The entire long control region (LCR) and 300 nt of the E6 gene was sequenced to identify intra-type variants. Sequence comparison and phylogenetic analysis were made using a distance-based neighbour joining method (NJ) and Kimura two-parameter model. Data obtained reported that Italian sequences mainly belonged to the European lineage, in particular sublineage A2. Only five sequences clustered in non-European branches: two in North American lineage (sublineage D1), two in African-1 (sublineage B1) and one in African-2. A new 27 nucleotide duplication in the central segment of the LCR region was found in a sequence obtained from a sample isolated in Sardinia. A predominance of European variants was detected, with some degree of variability among the studied HPV16 strains. This study contributes to the implementation of data regarding the molecular epidemiology of HPV16 variants.
Does Daily Physical Activity Level Determine the Physical Efficiency of Children After Treatment of Leukemia?
Authors: Malicka Iwona , Kowaluk Aleksandra , Woźniewski Marek
Published: January 2020

The aim of the study was to assess daily physical activity level and its influence on the physical efficiency of children after the treatment of leukemia. The study was comprised of 34 children (23 boys and 11 girls) after the treatment of acute lymphoblastic leukemia or myeloid leukemia (mean age of 11.29 ± 2.81 years, mean body height of 146.88 ± 16.11 cm, and mean body weight of 43.68 ± 13.93 kg). The mean time since treatment completion was 3.09 ± 1.80 years. The level of physical activity was assessed with the Health Behavior in School-Aged Children questionnaire (HBSC). Physical efficiency was assessed based on the palant ball throw (assessment of strength, coordination, and upper limb speed), the long jump (assessment of jumping ability, speed and coordination) and the 60 m run (assessment of speed). Measurements of motor skills were normalized, classified according to age and sex, and converted into grades. The mean values obtained in the run and the ball throw showed low pass grades in the study group. In the case of the long jump, satisfactory grades were obtained. A correlation of r = 0.512 was found between vigorous physical activity (HBSC 3) and the grade in the run. A correlation of r = −0.437 was observed between the duration of computer use in leisure time (HBSC 6) and the grade in the long jump, whereas correlations of r = −0.482 and −0.485 were noted between the number hours per week spent on games (HBSC 5) and the duration of computer use in leisure time (HBSC 6) and the grade obtained in the ball throw, respectively. In addition, different levels of physical activity and physical efficiency were demonstrated depending on the time elapsed since treatment completion. Supervised programs promoting daily physical activity should include children after the treatment of leukemia. These programs should also be aimed at improving their physical efficiency.
Physical Fitness as Part of the Health and Well-Being of Students Participating in Physical Education Lessons Indoors and Outdoors
Authors: Pasek Marcin , Szark-Eckardt Mirosława , Wilk Barbara , Zuzda Jolanta , Żukowska Hanna , Opanowska Monika , Kuska Michalina , Dróżdż Remigiusz , Kuśmierczyk Małgorzata , Sakłak Wojciech , Kupcewicz Ewa
Published: January 2020

The analysis of existing information on physical activity and fitness as elements of health and well-being reveals that they are achieved particularly effectively in contact with nature. Physical education lessons outdoors, as a form of healthy training, have been performed in numerous countries for years, providing a response to the traditional indoor model of this kind of education. The purpose of this paper is to clarify the relationship between the participation of students in outdoor and indoor lesson activities and the change in their physical fitness. 220 students participated in an experimental study. The experimental group, which did exercise usually in open spaces, included 49 boys and 54 girls. The control group, which exercised inside school, consisted of 63 boys and 54 girls. The study period lasted two years and involved the fifth and sixth form of primary school. Experimental group subjects were 11.26 years old (±0.32) during the initial test, and the control group individuals were 11.28 years (±0.32). During the final test, the average ages of experimental group subjects was 12.96 years (±0.32), and 12.98 years (±0.32) in the control group. The International Physical Activity Test was applied in the study. The differences between the levels of particular components of physical fitness were not statistically significant during the initial measurement (p-values ranged from p = 0.340 to p = 0.884). After two years of outdoor physical education lessons, there was revealed a considerable increase in the speed, jumping ability, and aerobic endurance of the students. Statistically significant differences were observed in these three tests, including running speed (p = 0.001), legs power (p = 0.001), and endurance (p = 0.000). The findings encourage one to continue pedagogical experiments regarding physical activity in outdoor natural environments.
Application of Cardio-Forecasting for Evaluation of Human—Operator Performance
Authors: Panda Anton , Nahornyi Volodymyr , Valíček Jan , Harničárová Marta , Pandová Iveta , Borzan Cristina , Cehelský Samuel , Androvič Lukáš , Tozan Hakan , Kušnerová Milena
Published: January 2020

The paper presents the results of the development of the cardio-forecasting technology, which introduces a new method to monitor the state of human-operator, which is characteristic for the given production conditions and for individual operators, to predict the moment of exhaustion of his/her working capacity. The work aims to demonstrate the unique, distinctive features of the cardio-forecasting technology for predicting an individual limit of his/her working capacity for each person. A unique methodology for predicting individually for each person the moment when he/she reaches the limit of his/her working capacity is based on a spectral analysis of a human phonocardiogram in order to isolate the frequency component located at the heart contraction frequency. The trend of the amplitude of this component is approximated by its model; consequently, the coefficients of the trend model are determined. They include the operator’s operating time until his/her working capacity is exhausted. A methodology for predicting the moment when he/she reaches the limit of his/her working capacity for each person individually and assessment based on this degree of criticality of their condition will be realized as a software application for smartphones using the Android operating system.
Associations between Facial Emotion Recognition and Mental Health in Early Adolescence
Authors: Simcock Gabrielle , McLoughlin Larisa T. , De Regt Tamara , Broadhouse Kathryn M. , Beaudequin Denise , Lagopoulos Jim , Hermens Daniel F.
Published: January 2020

Research shows that adolescents with mental illnesses have a bias for processing negative facial emotions, and this may play a role in impaired social functioning that often co-exists with a mental health diagnosis. This study examined associations between psychological and somatic problems and facial emotion recognition in early adolescence; as any processing biases in this age-group may be an early indicator of later mental illnesses. A community sample of 40 12-year-olds self-rated their symptoms of anxiety, depression, and somatization via two mental health screeners. They also completed a computerized emotion recognition task in which they identified photographs of 40 faces showing expressions of anger, fear, sadness, happiness, or neutral expression. Results showed that increased symptoms of anxiety, depression, and somatization were significantly associated with fewer correct responses to angry expressions. These symptoms were also associated with faster and more accurate recognition of fearful expressions. However, there was no association between mental health and recognition of sad affect. Finally, increased psychological and/or somatic symptomology was also associated with better identification of neutral expressions. In conclusion, youth with increased psychological and/or somatic problems exhibited a processing bias for negative anger and fear expressions, but not sadness. They showed better processing of neutral faces than youth with fewer psychological and/or somatic problems. Findings are discussed in relation to indicators of mental illnesses in early adolescence and the potential underpinning neural mechanisms associated with mental health and emotional facial recognition.
Neighborhood Ties Reduced Depressive Symptoms in Older Disaster Survivors: Iwanuma Study, a Natural Experiment
Authors: Sasaki Yuri , Tsuji Taishi , Koyama Shihoko , Tani Yukako , Saito Tami , Kondo Katsunori , Kawachi Ichiro , Aida Jun
Published: January 2020

Objective: As most studies relating to mental health and disasters have employed cross-sectional or follow-up assessments about psychological health with post-disaster information, the association between changes in social ties and mental health remains unclear. We examined the relationship between the changes in survivor neighborhood ties and depressive symptoms before and after a natural disaster. Methods: Participants were 3567 individuals aged ≥65 years living in Iwanuma city who had responded to questionnaires by the Japan Gerontological Evaluation Study both predating the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami, and 2.5 years afterward. Changes in the depressive symptoms were assessed using the geriatric depression scale (GDS) at the baseline and follow-up survey. Changes in the neighborhood ties were assessed by asking the participants about their interactions with people in their neighborhood. Possible confounders were adjusted in a linear regression model. Results: Among the 3111 participants in this analysis, 1073 (34.5%) had increased GDS score after the disaster. There were 336 (10.8%) individuals who had neighborhood ties before the disaster, but had no ties afterward; their mean GDS score increased from 2.93 points in 2010 to 3.19 points in 2013. Among those who had not had ties before and after the disaster the mean GDS score remained almost stable, from 2.19 points in 2010 to 2.12 points in 2013. The participants with post-disaster ties were significantly less likely to have an increased GDS score compared with those who had not had ties before and after the disaster (β = −0.39; 95% confidence interval: −0.72, −0.06). Conclusions: Increased neighborhood ties after the disaster reduced the risk of depressive symptoms even when survivors suffered disaster damages. The study reinforces the importance of social capital in disaster recovery and suggests to local governments and local communities that fostering horizontal, neighborhood ties may improve disaster preparedness and mental health resilience.